The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 44: Ending

Since Xavier's death I've often imagined my own death. How will my life end? Who will cry over my departure? Am I meaningful enough to this world to regret his passing? What will I feel when I take my last breath? Will death be painful? Or will I feel at ease because I will finally be back with Xavier? Is my death my happy ending? Because staying alive without Xavier is definitely not a happy ending for me. But what is the true meaning of happy ending? Shouldn't happiness have no end?

Anna is in the sky. He was pretty sure of it because his feet were not treading on anything and as he looked down and around, he could see the sky with white clouds moving about. He floated in the air, flying with the clouds. And Xavier was in front of him.

Xavier looked exactly as he remembered, like a beautiful dream and sheer wishful thinking. She was wearing all-white clothes that somehow looked radiant, making her look like an angel without wings. But those emerald eyes looked sad when they saw him.

"I... am dead?" Anna asked herself because she was not sure what she saw in front of her was really Xavier or just his hallucination.

Xavier smiled sadly at those words. Then in a voice that Anna had longed for so much, she said softly, "You think I'll let you die?"

"Then this is a dream?"

Xavier did not answer. He just looked at Anna with a sad look. He then extended his hand to Anna. "Let me show you something."

Anna accepted the hand doubtfully. For a while before he actually grasped Xavier's hand, he was afraid that he would only clasp empty air. Or a cold hand with no signs of life. But after his hand had completely touched Xavier's hand, he knew that his fear was unnecessary. It was really Xavier's hand, it felt so lively and warm. And back then, Anna no matter if she was dead or alive, she just wanted time to stop spinning. He wants to live in that moment forever.

But just then, they were no longer in the sky. They're in a room. A room. Anna saw her own body lying weakly on the bed. His face looked extremely pale and his clothes were wet with blood.

Someone undressed—Saintess Lucia—shows a deep enough stab wound and doesn't stop bleeding. Then when the Saintess touched her wound with her hand, Anna could feel the warmth in her stomach. Something inside him is being reshaped or reconnected.

Leon, who was also in the room, looked extremely pale. He just pecked at seeing Saintess trying to heal Anna. No. gabe. He didn't even really see. Empty look. Then Anna realized that the man was crying without a sound. Tears rolled down his face.

"The knife was poisoned." Saintess explained to Leon. "The wound itself is not too severe even though it is deep enough, but it does not hit his vital organs. The bleeding can stop. But poison..."

Leon kneels to Saintess. "Do whatever. Rescue her. You have to save her." Her tears were mixed with bloodstains on her face, "Please... Save her..."

Anna turned to Xavier, who was also watching her brother kneeling, begging for Anna to survive. His forehead wrinkled as if enduring the pain, as if he had just been stabbed by a poisonous blade. Her eyes were red withstanding tears. Anna doesn't have to ask questions to know that Xavier also hopes Saintess can save him.

"I'm dying, Xavier." Anna said calmly. It was as if it was something of a relief to him instead of agonizing him.

Xavier shook his head, "You can still go back." As he said that, Xavier clasped his hand tightly. His eyes turned to look at Anna, "The knife didn't hit your vital organs, the poison wasn't Morta's poison, but you lost a lot of blood and you were in a very weak condition. But you can still come back." And with a smile he added, "You know, the Gods and Goddesses are listening to Leon's current prayer. The most sincere prayer among the other prayers."

Anna shook her head, "If I decide not to return.." she paused for a moment, seeing the injured expression on Xavier's face upon hearing Anna say it. "I can be with you again. On here. And we can be happy together forever. This is our happy ending, Xavier."

"It's not like that, baby." Xavier gently stroked Anna's hair. "It's not you who decides. Not even a Tsarina can decide the end."

"You want me back?"

Xavier answered with a grievous smile. "Vierra needs her mother. Leon will grieve for a thousand years for the loss of the woman he loved. My mother would blame herself for failing to protect the woman I loved. And all the people will suffer the loss of their leader. They all need you."

"And I need you. But you don't care."

"Believe, the plan of the Almighty is better than our plan." Xavier wiped away the tears streaming down Anna's cheeks, brought her face closer together, "Later the time will come when we can be together again. But not now, baby. Everyone is waiting for you. Go back to them." And he kissed her. Return it to life.

***

Holiday Homes, Shina, Orient

As Anna opened her eyes slowly, she already knew who was waiting for her by her bedside. The pair of Hazel eyes looked so shocked when they saw her. Anna smiled at him, and in a still hoarse voice she greeted, "Hello, Leon."

"I told you your plan was too dangerous." Without any pleasantries or warm words of greeting, Leon immediately scolded him. Her eyes were still puffy and the rest of her tears were still visible on her face. "Next time let me get stabbed. After all I will not die despite being stabbed so many times. I don't like waiting for you to regain consciousness."

"So I met Xavier." Anna said as she stared blankly at the ceiling. It was as if he could see Xavier there. His eyes seemed to be glazed over recalling the moment that had already passed.

Leon paled hearing his words. "You really almost caught up with him earlier. You really almost died earlier."

"He said it wasn't time yet. So I'm back."

For a while Leon said nothing. She almost lost Anna forever. "Your Majesty..."

"I'm fine Leon." Her smile. At least he knew there was one person who would be very sad if he were to die. And he knew his sadness would carry over throughout his life. Anna clasped Leon's hand, "Thank you for praying for me, worrying about me and waiting for me to come back to my senses. You know, there won't be another time. I won't let you get stabbed even if you won't die. Because I don't like to be stabbed either, it doesn't taste good. But really, I'm fine."

To prove that, Anna immediately sat down. Leon looked horrified to see her, he repeatedly told Anna to stay lying down. But Anna really didn't feel anything. The wound did not leave any pain in his stomach. He also did not feel the effects of the poison in his body. He felt like he had just woken up for hours. His body felt fit and he felt ready to run for miles or fight all day.

"Please be kind to me and stop worrying me, Your Majesty. Don't move much first. You lost a lot of blood. You're as pale as a corpse and really almost a corpse if only Saintess hadn't come—“

"Saintess is coming, isn't she?" Anna ignored Leon's words and lowered her feet to the floor. He gets up and starts walking to show Leon that he is completely healthy. Leon watched in horror every time Anna stepped out of her legs as if Anna could break at any moment. "That's it, Leon. I'm really fine. You don't trust me?"

Leon sighed, "Alright. It's up to you. I forbid you, too. I just remembered that you were stubborn."

Anna smiled, "Has Mother-in-law and the others already come?"

"Irene, Tyros and Theana are coming. They had a chance to meet the Queen Mother's forces before they got here."

"Are they okay?"

Anna was delighted when she heard Leon talk about her birth mother like that. Moreover, Leon called her a 'mother'. Anna knew all along Xavier was worried about his mother—their mother. Xavier is worried that Irene will continue to feel guilty for never being there for her sons so Irene understands Leon who is still not used to calling her 'mother'.

"Good." Anna's Comments. An excited smile was painted on his face, as if he had forgotten that he had just been seriously injured and was about to die. "There are signs of Ludwig?"

Actually Leon does not like Anna immediately prepared to discuss all these things when Anna just escaped death. At the time Leon was still convinced that his wound had not healed completely. But there really is no other choice. They were going to fight against the Orient and already they should be prepared. So while keeping a close eye on Anna's movements, just in case the Tsarina shows any signs of pain, Leon as much as possible answers Anna's questions.

"Leon?" Anna is waiting for her answer.

"The One Force that was guarding the border had already seen our Steel Dragon flying in the eastern sky. Is heading here. You need to be prepared. Soon they'll be there."

Anna nodded. "Four Clan Leaders?"

"They are ready too. They are all with their troops. Just waiting for orders from you."

"Including Andromeda Navarro?" Anna asked to be sure, because considering her last meeting with Andromeda was not too pleasant for both parties.

Leon nodded in response, "Includes him."

"Then we must also leave now. We must leave Orient soon because this whole land will soon be reduced to dust."

Hearing those words, Leon looked surprised. His eyes widened, his mouth was about to say something but he was soon taken down. It was as if Anna was intent on destroying the entire Orient from the start. And such a thing was not something that Anna usually did. The Tsarina was known to be generous and not vindictive, forgiving and compassionate. The order to abolish one great empire from the world map is not something that illustrates its properties.

"Your Majesty, you're not—“

"Yes, Leon." Cut Anna straight away. Leon sees Anna's eyes turning red. And the next words that came out of her mouth were as if they did not belong to Anna, "Destroy everything. Don't leave anything out. It's an order."

***

Sun Palace, Shina, Orient

That night, as everyone was getting ready to sleep, as the sky darkened, a strange sound came from a distance. The thump was accompanied by a terrible vibration. All that initially seemed so quiet and calm, became riled up and awake. Watching in unexpressed tension for what they have just heard from a distance. What awaits them in the next few seconds.

After a while, the bang was heard again. The sound came from somewhere else. The closer it sounds. This time the people started to come out from their respective resting places. Find out what's going on around them.

A young maid who was just about to sleep after being tired of working all day at the Palace, came out of her bed. One by one, the other colleagues followed him, figuring out the origin of the sound of the thump that shook the entire room. Maybe the entire Sun Palace. Because just then, when the servant and his fellow servants came out of the room, they found everyone gathered outside, staring at the night sky.

Something flew over the night sky. Not months. Neither the stars nor the black clouds.

It was so big it covered the moonlight. It formed a huge shadow on the ground below. Blocking the view of the people below.

"What's that?" Ask the young servant. But it wasn't just him asking. Almost everyone who came out and saw it, asked the same thing. They all looked curious as they had never seen such a thing before above the sky.

"Stop it. Like a giant bird." Someone's mouth.

"N-dragon?" Others guess.

But it was not a bird or a dragon at all. Something that flies over the sky is not a living thing.

The object flew closer so that it was now located right above the Sun Palace. It formed a black shadow beneath it that darkened the earth.

People were getting more panicked because it seemed that something was going to hit them. Stranger things are like they will befall them because they are so close.

One of them pointed up at the sky while shrieking in horror.

His spirit became even more gripping as everyone looked up in the direction pointed. Because just then, the huge object let out something that seemed to glow under the moonlight. Something that will soon follow them.

"No way... That's..."

"Damn!" A guard of the Palace. He turned, facing towards his superiors who were also recovering from the superiority of the huge object flying over the night sky of the Orient.

And in the next gripping second, everyone started screaming in panic. They ran around, looking for a way out of the vast, labyrinth-like Palace of the Sun.

"Everybody get out of here! Clear Palace!" Shouted one of the Palace's guard heads.

"Protect the Queen Mother!" Shouts the others.

"Quick send the delivery bird to the Emperor's Palace in Jungdo!"

But it's all too late. Later that night, Morta's bombs were dropped on the Sun Palace and several other places around Shina. The flying thing was numerous and scattered everywhere, dropping Morta bombs at various places in the Orient region. Eliminate the country forever.

***